Some printers use UV curable inks to print on articles and objects. UV curable inks are applied onto the article or object and a UV light source is used to cure the ink. The UV light source may be used to initiate a photochemical reaction that generates a crosslinked network of polymers. In other words, the ink is not simply “dried” where solvent is evaporated from the ink. Rather, the UV ink is cured such that the polymers in the UV ink undergo a chemical reaction to link or bond to the article or object.
A curing light source may be used to apply light to cure the UV curable ink. However, if the curing light source does not emit the proper amount of light, the UV curable ink may not completely cure. Uncured UV inks may emit some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are considered to have a negative impact on the environment and the end user. Furthermore, if the UV ink is not completely cured, the UV ink that is printed onto the article or object may be wiped off.
Three dimensional objects have varying slopes, angles and curvatures that do not provide a flat and even surface for curing. As a result, different portions of the three dimensional object may be different distances away from the curing light source. The different distances may cause the curing light source to cure the UV curable ink on the three dimensional object at different rates. Thus, the UV curable ink may not be properly cured on different surfaces of the three dimensional object.